


Jared's Interlude

by My_Coffee_Is_Hot_Chocolate



Series: Lines Universe [3]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 08:49:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15793137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Coffee_Is_Hot_Chocolate/pseuds/My_Coffee_Is_Hot_Chocolate
Summary: Why Jared is such a jerk.





	Jared's Interlude

Well, not really Jared. Jenny. But for secrecy's sake and time wise we’ll address her as a boy until she comes to the conclusion by herself.

Jared was 9 when he learned what being Transgender was. A classmate came out in school. And he knew there was no way that was him. He couldn't be. Sean was all the not-normal in the family.

If he was, would Mom and Dad hit him to? Burn his shoulders like they did Sean's?

He couldn't be. If he was he’d never admit it, he promised himself that that day. 

When he was 11 he quietly admitted he liked pink better then blue. That was the first time his parents hit him. Sean had stumbled back to his room when Dad called for him.

Jared had a good idea what was going to happen.

“Do you still like pink? Like a girl?” His father hissed once he was done.

Jared shook his head. “No, Dad.”

Jared was 12 when he finally admitted to himself that he could possibly be trans. It took him months to work up the courage to try using other pronouns in his head for a day, but a day turned into a week that turned into a month. 

After a month of using them in her head, she admitted she preferred it. A new name was hard. She settled, after intense debate, on Jennifer. Or just Jenny. It felt right, the first initial matching was just a bounus. 

On her 13th birthday she tried to tell her mom. She was scared, she could barely say it. But her mom seemed like she may be trustworthy. 

That was her mistake.

“Is that enough Jared?” Jenny's father snarled her old name.

“Yes Dad..”

“You're no son of mine. Once you have this sick idea out of your head you can be a part of this family again.”

She swore that the small circles still burned into the next day. To make things worse her soulmate bond made a apperence, dreams.

Jenny lied the first night. Saying she was a boy. 

She lied for years while the scars and threats built up. 

When she was 15 she shoved Sean for the first time. She shoved the small 14 year old into a sharp counter and that was the first time she saw her father smile at her in years.

So she did it more, and her own beatings lessened. They were shorter to. 

So she kept doing it. Self-preservation, she told herself. She had to do this to keep herself safe. For her secret to be safe, as far as her parents knew she was 'better’. 

Besides, it was nice to be the agressor for once. The hurt stopped after a few weeks, her excuses building a wall with the emotions she felt on the other side.

She joined the football team, she was like any other boy in the world. Aside from one well kept secret. 

It all came crashing down when she was 17.

Mike tried to protect Sean and got hurt. Mike never got hurt. And then he, Sean and Allie were gone. Jenny was left alone. 

In a blind panic Jenny fled to her room and locked the door. If she was the last one available they would go after her. She had to hide.

Pressing herself against the wall under the bed, she hid until she heard the front door open and shut, and the car drive off. The house became silent.

Jenny weased herself out from under the bed. The sun was rising, she had been hidden all night. 

Creeping downstairs and looking for a bit of food, she saw no one. She was safe. 

She ate as much as she could, dashing halfway up the stairs at every small noise. It was nerve wracking until she was full and could safely hide upstairs.

That night her soulmate, Charlie -or as he preferred, Crutchie, was worried out of his mind. “Jared, what's wrong? You're scared, I hate seeing you scared like this sweetheart.” He pulled her into a hug. She felt safe in his arms, as always. 

He was only a few months older then her, but he was always so calm and mature. How Jenny was never sure.

“I… My parents…” Jenny buried her face in the crook of Crutchie's neck. She was slightly taller, but the position wasn't akward. 

Crutchie comforted her, running his hand through her short hair. “It's okay sweetheart. You're okay, you're safe now. I'll never let you get hurt, I’ll love you no matter what.”

Jenny pulled away, looking him in the eyes. “You mean that? No matter what?” She asked quietly.

Crutchie nodded. “No matter what.”

Maybe she could tell him? It didn't feel right lying to him about who she was. It never had. But now it felt so many kinds of wrong at once and it all came out in a rush.

“I'm trans. I'm not a boy, I’m a girl and I’ve been lying about this for years because I was so scared you’d hate me..” Jenny only realized that she’d spoken when she was done. “Oh God, I just-”

Crutchie took her hands in his. “It's okay darling, breath. It's okay, that was so brave of you!” He gave her a dazzling smile. “Do you have a name?”

“Je-Jenny. Jennifer, really. But shortened to Jenny.” Jenny mumbled.

“Is it okay if I’ve already nicknamed you Fir?” Crutchie asked, smiling.

Jenny smiled to. “I like that. Thanks Char.”

“No problem Fir.”

They both laughed before one or both of them woke up.

Jenny spent the next few days hiding and spend her nights talking with Crutchie. He, as he’s always been, was a reprieve from the world around her.

A few days into being left alone in the house, a very official looking lady showed up. She claimed to be with CPS. She was here to collect ‘him’ and put ‘him’ with a foster family until something more permanent could be found.

Jenny collected as many things as she could, including all the money she had and as many of her clothes and other things she would need in a bag. 

At least she was finally out of that house.

The next few weeks she settled into a nice routine in her new home. They ignored her, she ignored them. 

Crutchie was a constant source of comfort. 

Until the day of the trial. She shoved herself in a suit, rode in the car with her caseworker. She saw her brothers for the first time in weeks. 

She was more than happy to sit and be quiet. But her dream of disappearing is shattered when Mike corners her. “Jared-”

“Jenny.” Jenny mumbles. Mike doesn't live with her any more. His opinion doesn't matter. After this trial they can both go their separate ways forever. 

And she may have also been being stupid. It was mostly stupidity.

 

“Oh, okay. Jenny, what on Earth are you doing here?”

Jenny blinked for a second. “What? I mean, why wouldn’t I be here? They were my parents to.” Then became defensive. He had no right to say she shouldn’t be here. 

“But they never-” Mike stopped himself. “They did, didn’t they..”

Jenny nodded. “They did. So yha, I’m here, deal with it.”


End file.
